US4702225A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Control for heat pipe central furnace
Assignee: HEIL-QUAKER HOME SYSTEMS Inc A CORP OF
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Filing: 1986-05-14
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Granted: 1987-10-27
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Expires: 2006-05-14
Abstract
Abstract In the operation of a heat pipe furnace having a plurality of heat pipes and means for conducting a heated fluid in sequential heat transfer association with the heat pipes, an apparatus and method of detecting a malfunction of any one of the heat pipes of said plurality comprising means for and the steps of monitoring the temperature of the most sequentially downstream heat pipe of the plurality of heat pipes and determining whether said monitored temperature is within a preselected range of temperatures.
Inventors
- 👤 Edward J. Heffernan
- 👤 Ronald S. Tomlinson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 19:39
CPC Classifications
F; F28; F28D; F28D15/00; F28D15/02; F24; F24H; F24H3/00; F24H3/02; F24H3/06; F24H3/065; F24H9/00; F24H9/20; F24H9/2064; F24H9/2085
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
133 words
In the operation of a heat pipe furnace having a plurality of heat pipes and means for conducting a heated fluid in sequential heat transfer association with the heat pipes, a method of detecting a malfunction of any one of the heat pipes of said plurality comprising: monitoring the temperature of one of said heat pipes; preselecting a time window defined by a first point in time and a second, subsequent, point in time following initiation of heat transfer to said plurality of heat pipes and prior to steady state operation of the furnace; preselecting a threshold temperature; and determining whether said monitored temperature is less than the threshold temperature at said first point in time and whether said monitored temperature is greater than the threshold temperature at said second point in time.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
133 words
In the operation of a heat pipe furnace having a plurality of heat pipes and means for conducting a heated fluid in sequential heat transfer association with the heat pipes, a method of detecting a malfunction of any one of the heat pipes of said plurality comprising: monitoring the temperature of one of said heat pipes; preselecting a time window defined by a first point in time and a second, subsequent, point in time following initiation of heat transfer to said plurality of heat pipes and prior to steady state operation of the furnace; preselecting a threshold temperature; and determining whether said monitored temperature is less than the threshold temperature at said first point in time and whether said monitored temperature is greater than the threshold temperature at said second point in time.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
105 words
In the operation of a heat pipe furnace having a plurality of heat pipes and means for conducting a heated fluid in sequential heat transfer association with the heat pipes, a method of detecting a malfunction of any one of the heat pipes of said plurality comprising: preselecting a point in time following initiation of heat transfer to said plurality of heat pipes and prior to steady state operation of the furnace; preselecting a range of temperatures between a first threshold temperature and a second threshold temperature; and determining whether said monitored temperature at said point in time is within said preselected range of temperatures.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
105 words
In the operation of a heat pipe furnace having a plurality of heat pipes and means for conducting a heated fluid in sequential heat transfer association with the heat pipes, a method of detecting a malfunction of any one of the heat pipes of said plurality comprising: preselecting a point in time following initiation of heat transfer to said plurality of heat pipes and prior to steady state operation of the furnace; preselecting a range of temperatures between a first threshold temperature and a second threshold temperature; and determining whether said monitored temperature at said point in time is within said preselected range of temperatures.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
92 words
In the operation of a heat pipe furnace having a plurality of heat pipes and means for conducting a heated fluid in sequential heat transfer association with the heat pipes, a method of detecting a malfunction of any one of the heat pipes of said plurality comprising: determining whether the furnace has obtained steady state operation; preselecting a temperature window defining a range of temperature between a first threshold temperature and a second threshold temperature; and determining whether said monitored temperature remains within said preselected temperature range during said steady state operation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
92 words
In the operation of a heat pipe furnace having a plurality of heat pipes and means for conducting a heated fluid in sequential heat transfer association with the heat pipes, a method of detecting a malfunction of any one of the heat pipes of said plurality comprising: determining whether the furnace has obtained steady state operation; preselecting a temperature window defining a range of temperature between a first threshold temperature and a second threshold temperature; and determining whether said monitored temperature remains within said preselected temperature range during said steady state operation.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
140 words
In a heat pipe furnace having a plurality of heat pipes and means for conducting a heated fluid in sequential heat transfer association with the heat pipes, an apparatus for detecting a malfunction of any one of said heat pipes comprising: means for monitoring the temperature of at least one heat pipe of said plurality of heat pipes; means for preselecting a time window defining a first point in time and a second, subsequent, point in time following initiation of heat transfer to said plurality of heat pipes and prior to steady state operation of the furnace; means for preselecting a threshold temperature; and means for determining whether said monitored temperature is less than said threshold temperature at said first point in time and whether said monitored temperature is greater than said threshold temperature at said second point in time.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
140 words
In a heat pipe furnace having a plurality of heat pipes and means for conducting a heated fluid in sequential heat transfer association with the heat pipes, an apparatus for detecting a malfunction of any one of said heat pipes comprising: means for monitoring the temperature of at least one heat pipe of said plurality of heat pipes; means for preselecting a time window defining a first point in time and a second, subsequent, point in time following initiation of heat transfer to said plurality of heat pipes and prior to steady state operation of the furnace; means for preselecting a threshold temperature; and means for determining whether said monitored temperature is less than said threshold temperature at said first point in time and whether said monitored temperature is greater than said threshold temperature at said second point in time.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
104 words
In a heat pipe furnace having a plurality of heat pipes and means for conducting a heated fluid in sequential heat transfer association with the heat pipes, an apparatus for detecting a malfunction of any one of said heat pipes comprising: means for preselecting a point in time following initiation of heat transfer to said plurality of heat pipes and prior to steady state operation of the furnace; means for preselecting a range of temperatures between a first threshold temperature and a second threshold temperature; and means for determining whether said monitored temperature at said point in time is within said range of temperatures.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
104 words
In a heat pipe furnace having a plurality of heat pipes and means for conducting a heated fluid in sequential heat transfer association with the heat pipes, an apparatus for detecting a malfunction of any one of said heat pipes comprising: means for preselecting a point in time following initiation of heat transfer to said plurality of heat pipes and prior to steady state operation of the furnace; means for preselecting a range of temperatures between a first threshold temperature and a second threshold temperature; and means for determining whether said monitored temperature at said point in time is within said range of temperatures.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
83 words
In a heat pipe furnace having a plurality of heat pipes and means for conducting a heated fluid in sequential heat transfer association with the heat pipes, an apparatus for detecting a malfunction of any one of said heat pipes comprising: means for determining when said furnace has attained steady state operation; means for preselecting a range of temperatures between a first threshold temperature and a second threshold temperature; and means for determining whether said monitored temperature remains within said preselected temperature range.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
83 words
In a heat pipe furnace having a plurality of heat pipes and means for conducting a heated fluid in sequential heat transfer association with the heat pipes, an apparatus for detecting a malfunction of any one of said heat pipes comprising: means for determining when said furnace has attained steady state operation; means for preselecting a range of temperatures between a first threshold temperature and a second threshold temperature; and means for determining whether said monitored temperature remains within said preselected temperature range.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
126 words
In a heat pipe furnace having a heat source and a plurality of serially heated heat pipes, a method of detecting a malfunction of any one of the heat pipes comprising the steps of: determining a time interval extending from a first preselected time to a second preselected time; continuously monitoring the temperature of one of said heat pipes of said plurality of heat pipes; preselecting a first threshold temperature; and determining whether said monitored temperature of said one heat pipe exceeds said first threshold temperature during said time interval; continuously monitoring the temperature of a second of said heat pipes; preselecting a second threshold temperature; and determining whether said monitored temperature of said second heat pipe exceeds said second threshold temperature during said time interval.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
126 words
In a heat pipe furnace having a heat source and a plurality of serially heated heat pipes, a method of detecting a malfunction of any one of the heat pipes comprising the steps of: determining a time interval extending from a first preselected time to a second preselected time; continuously monitoring the temperature of one of said heat pipes of said plurality of heat pipes; preselecting a first threshold temperature; and determining whether said monitored temperature of said one heat pipe exceeds said first threshold temperature during said time interval; continuously monitoring the temperature of a second of said heat pipes; preselecting a second threshold temperature; and determining whether said monitored temperature of said second heat pipe exceeds said second threshold temperature during said time interval.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
101 words
In a heat pipe furnace having a heat source, a plurality of heat pipes in sequential heat transfer association with the heat source and means associated with the most sequentially downstream heat pipe of said plurality of heat pipes for determining the temperature thereof, a method of detecting a malfunction of any one of the heat pipes comprising the steps of: preselecting a temperature range; monitoring the temperature of a selected heat pipe at a preselected point in time following initiation of heat transfer to said plurality of heat pipes; and determining whether said monitored temperature is within said temperature range.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
101 words
In a heat pipe furnace having a heat source, a plurality of heat pipes in sequential heat transfer association with the heat source and means associated with the most sequentially downstream heat pipe of said plurality of heat pipes for determining the temperature thereof, a method of detecting a malfunction of any one of the heat pipes comprising the steps of: preselecting a temperature range; monitoring the temperature of a selected heat pipe at a preselected point in time following initiation of heat transfer to said plurality of heat pipes; and determining whether said monitored temperature is within said temperature range.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of detecting the malfunction of any one of said heat pipes as claimed in claim 8 wherein said temperature of said selected heat pipe is monitored upon attaining steady state operation of the furnace.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-10-26 | 1991-04-27 | 1991-10-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-10-26 | 1995-04-27 | 1995-10-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-10-26 | 1999-04-27 | 1999-10-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |